Vladimir Putin opposes free gun sales in Russia

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday he opposes the idea of allowing Russians to buy guns freely for self-defence purposes.

“I do not support the idea of free arms distribution in Russia,” Putin told Rossiya 24 television adding: “It is dangerous to artificially stimulate this process.”

The idea came after a shocking massacre in downtown Belgorod, southwest Russia, Monday afternoon, which left six people dead.

A gunman killed three people with a rifle at a hunting store before going out onto the streets and shooting dead another three outside the store, including a 45-year-old man and two teenage schoolgirls.

Sergei Pomazun, 31, the only suspect in the shooting attack, was detained near the city by police following a manhunt that lasted more than 24 hours and involved about 2,000 personnel.